MH17 victim’s dad dies of ‘broken heart‘

World / 27 July 2014, 4:07pm

SAPA

Debris and momentos left by local residents, during their visit to the crash site of the downed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. Photo: Sergei Karpukhin

The Hague - Downed flight MH17 has claimed another victim in a 93-year-old man who succumbed to the “indescribable grief” of losing his daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren in the crash, family have said.

Hendrik (Henk) Palm, from the northern Dutch town of Roden, died “after the indescribable grief of losing his daughter, Erla (Palm), son-in-law Rob (van der Linde) and grandchildren Merel and Mark” in the Malaysia Airlines crash, family members said in a death notice carried by De Stentor regional newspaper.

The notice, to be found on a link from the paper's website, said Palm died on Tuesday, five days after the crash that claimed the lives of 298 people including 193 Dutch citizens.

Signed by the families Palm and Bruggeman, the name of the patriarch's deceased wife, the notice also paid tribute “in loving memory” to the family of four who died when the plane was shot down over conflict-torn east Ukraine.

Dutch newspapers have reported that the four, also from Roden, were on their way to Malaysia for a holiday.

Granddaughter Merel was 17, and her brother Mark, 12.

Erla Palm had been the infirm, elderly widower's only daughter and key caregiver, her cousin told regional broadcaster RTV Drenthe.

Several people posted online condolences Sunday in sympathy with the family tragedy.

“Dear Mr Palm, that you had to die of a broken heart. But hopefully you have now been reunited with your daughter,” wrote one, who signed off as “A mother”.

The country observed an exceptional day of mourning last Wednesday as investigators worked to collect victims' remains from the crash site.

Most of the bodies have since arrived in the Netherlands for identification and forensic examination. - Sapa-AFP